Share

Even though the 2017 national championship banner won't be revealed for 13 more days, North Carolina supporters had the Smith Center abuzz Monday morning.

The 13th annual Roy Williams' Fast Break Against Cancer breakfast, which consisted of a seated breakfast and a silent auction of a hodgepodge of unique Tar Heel merchandise, took place on the floor of the Smith Center and raised thousands of dollars for the UNC Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center.

All proceeds — which were drawn from the $100 general admission ticket and money collected from the auctioned items — supported cancer research, treatment and outreach programs at the cancer center. Since its conception, the event has raised more than $2.3 million to aid the effort to cure cancer.

This year, UNC play-by-play announcer Jones Angell emceed the program. Williams addressed the crowd before the breakfast and throughout the auction.

“This event is something that I’ve grown to really love,” Williams said. “I think the biggest thing is the money that you raise, the money that you give, the money that you spend in the auction goes directly to our Lineberger Center, here in Chapel Hill.”

During his battle, Fox needed to locate a bone marrow match in order to have a chance to save his life. Luckily, Fox eventually found the match he was looking for.

“I got those cells, and I didn’t know whether they’d work or not,” Fox said. “I saw a little kid, 14-years-old who had them, and it took four tries for them to match and have that work. I have a friend right now who’s going through his second try, but mine worked the very first try.”

Even after the match was successful, living a healthy life was still an uphill battle. Fox said he remembers not having an appetite after the transplant and not eating for over two weeks. He then had a feeding tube inserted, which sparked a turnaround of his health.

Stories like Fox's serve as a reminder for why Williams hosts his Fast Break Against Cancer event every year.

Items in the live auction included a lunch with Williams and his staff, an Alexander Julian sport coat and tie signed by Williams, a 2017 NCAA Tournament championship logo signed by the entire team and staff, a coffee table made from the wood floor of the 2017 championship game court, a ticket on the UNC bench for any home basketball game minus Duke and two team fold-out seats from the 2016 and 2017 Final Four signed by the UNC coaching staff.

The breakfast also featured an online auction this year. Additional items are available to bid on until Oct. 16.

Ben Miller, a UNC graduate and the chief operating officer for LabCorp — an annual sponsor of the event — took home the two Final Four fold-out seats and the championship floor coffee table.

“My family has been touched with cancer,” Miller said. “And while I haven’t personally been affected myself, I’m aware of the impact it has on people and families. (These items) are kind of unique and they’ll fit right into the Carolina sports room in my house.”